Tubular element of air-method cleaning systems



Jan. 3, 1939. D. B. REPLOGLE 2,142,149

TUBULAR ELEMENT OF AIRMETHOD CLEANING SYSTEMS Original Filed Jan. 12,1932 Inventor Patented Jan. 3, 1939 l UNITI-:D STATES PATENT GFFICETUBULAR ELEMENT ,0F AIB-DIETHOD CLEANING SYSTEMS Application January 12,1932, Serial No. 586,192 Renewed December 22, 1936 1 Claim.

This invention relates to Air-way" cleaning systems, such as is shown inmy U. S. Patent No. 1,533,271, of April 14, 1925, and particularly tothat part of such systems, which constitutes the tubular or pneumatichandle elements of the individual or portable sweeper, and such as lsmore particularly shown in my patent for Pneumatic cleaner No.1,345,550, patented July 6,

1920 and reissued as No. 16,224 December 15,

1925. Cleaners of this type are known com- 0 mercially under theregistered trade-mark Airway.

One of the first requisites of such tubular parts is that they should beof extremely strong or tough material so light in weight that thegreatest carrying capacity can be had with the least possible bulk;another is that the parts should be non-conductors of electricity; andstill another, that they should be nonabrasve so as not to mar furniturewhen struck with the same, and they should be agreeable to the hands ofthe user.

Such tubular parts have heretofore entered into the construction of suchsuction or Airway cleaning apparatus, but generally where the same havebeen attached to the necessary metallic parts, they have been insertedinto clamps or heavy parts with bolts or screws to secure the tubularber to the metallic parts.

The objects of the present invention are therefore to simplify practiceor to provide simple and effective means for joining fiber tubes torelatively thin metallic tubes of such Air-way apparatus so as tomaintain the lightness required; to provide such construction that theinner surfaces or passageway of the tubes may be kept continuous withuniform diameter and carrying capacity where they are attached to suchmetallic parts; to provide adaptable joints of such a ber tube wherefiber is permanently joined to liber; and to make a complete andcontinuous handle or tubular conduit with separable joints, as well aspermanent joints of ber' to fiber; to maintain electricalnonconductivity in such tubes or handles, and other objects as mayherein appear and be pointed out in the claims.

These objects are attained by the use of the material, construction andmethods of construction as set forth herein, or the equivalent of thesame. The Word ber as used in this specification refers to 'what iscommercially known as vulcanized fiber; but must be of .a good strongquality, such as is made into tubes by winding rag 55 paper on mandrels,treating with chlorides, and

rolling to a suitable hardness. Any other. product having sumcientstrength, hygrometric quality of expansion and contraction, anddielectric qualities may be substituted.

'I'he construction and methods of construction are set forth herein, andexplained and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l shows a portable electrically operable cleaner in the assembly ofwhich my invention is employed.

Fig. 2 shows thehandle portion at right angles to the view in Fig. 1,with the electric motor removed and a hose-pipe adapted to lead fromremote suction producing means, connected in place of the motor and fanof the portable de- 15 vice.

Fig. 3 shows a segregated side'elevation of the metallic valve member towhich air conduit tubes, according to my invention, are joinable.

Fig. 4 is a view in longitudinal section, illustrative of thearrangement where a metallic pipe or nipple of the valve member ispermanently joined to a ber tube, according to my invention.

Fig. 5 is a view in similar section illustrative ef the slip joint whereaber tube joins aber tube. 25

Fig. 6 is a `view similar to Fig. 5 wherein a permanent joint is formedby a fiber or plastic rivet.

Fig. 7 is a view showing a modied form of the joint shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 illustrates a modification of the riveting shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 further illustrates a modification of the riveting shown in Fig.8.

Similar characters of reference denote like 35 and corresponding partsin the several views.

Referring to the drawing, I denotes the longer or handle tube of anAir-way cleaner, which is joined to a valve member 2; and l denotes theshorter or floor connecting tube of the same 40 device, both of whichtubes are joined to the valve member 2, according to the constructionand method of my invention.

Within the valve member 2 is the transparenttopped valve 3, designed tointerchangeably direct air currents from the several sections of tube assuction is set up by the motor means 6; so that suction may proceed fromthe oor tool 5, or from the outer curved handle end 1,'ac- 5o cording asthe valve 3 is turned. When remote suction producing means, not shown,is used, a flexible conduction hose-pipe 9 is substituted and attachedto the Valve member 2 in place of the motor means 5; and serves to carryaway the dust-laden 4air, in operation; whereas, when the v motor means5 is used, an electric conductor 9.

of the device, an applicatory hose Il, is attached to the handle at I4;and is intended to have applicator devices connected to its end I5, forsuch service as is not the usual sweeping or oor cleaning.

With the purposes of these devices now clearly set forth, the nature ofmy present invention, and its applications, may be readily comprehended.

I have found that where a ber tube of a diameter suitable for handles ofsuch devices, has walls of a thickness approximately one-thirtieth partof its circular diameter, it will provide an adequate air ow atpressures such as can be produced by one or more limited weightelectrical motor driven fans; and the coelcient of circular expansionproduced by soaking such a tube in water, is sufficient to permit it'tobe fitted over the end of a rigid tube or mandrel about onethirtiethgreater'in diameter than the inside of the tube before it was soaked;and that thereby a secure and dependable joining is effected, bycontraction of the ber tube end, placed thereon.

I have also found that where a previously expanded and dried tube end isremoved, even though with dilculty, it remains in practically thesame-enlarged condition, due to an apparent molecular adjustment orlimited plasticity; but nevertheless if soaked again as before, it issubject to considerable additional enlargement but still retains itscontractile qualities.

Therefore the present invention utilizes the discovery just mentioned inthe constructions as shown in the drawing.

In Figs. 4 and 7 is shown, in full size, the details of construction ofjoints similar to those shown at Ii, I1 and I8, in Figs. 1 and 2, themetal shank I 9 in said gures corresponding to any one of the shanks I6' of the oor tool 5, or I1' and I8' of the valve member 2. 'Ihethickness of the wall of the metal shank is about one half of the totalenlargement of the ber end 20, in this construction, so that the innerconcave surfaces of the metal tube I9, and the ber tube 2l are ush.

Although the contraction of the ber tube end, on smooth metal may bequite suicient ordinarily, to hold rmly enough; it is sometimesdesirable where a relatively permanent connection is required that theexterior or convex surface of the metal tube be roughened by some means,to give security against slipping off, or rotating. Sharp projections onthe metal surface are however objectionable; since they may causemutilation and weakening of the softened ber, when being slipped toposition.

In the construction of ber to metal joint I therefore prefer to have anembossment or rimple 2i, pressed into the metal, over which the ber end2l may conform in contracting, as at 2i Or as a substitute, beads 22 and23 may be used as shown in Fig. 7. And as a further security, after theparts have been connected and the ber has been allowed to dry, ametallic ring 24. may be contracted over the joint, as is further shownin Fig. 7. A method of securing the ring 24 is to heat it with asuitable flame while in the position moisture content has been driven,soon the ber end, binding it to shown in dotted lines, until sulcientlyexpanded by heat; then to slip to the position shown in solid lines,where it contracts as it cools.

Where ber tube is to be joined to ber tube, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6';the enlarged end of tube I, is prepared, as previously suggested. bysuccessive applications of soaking and stretching until it shall toverthe end of a similar or nearly similar tube I', or the end of the tubeI' may be contracted in part, by pressing the same into a hot iron boredwith a tapering cavity suitable for reducing the same; since heatingincreases the plasticity, so that proper tapering and reduction isreadily attained in that way; and because of its driving out moisture, atendency to subsequent slight enlargement occurs. which assists tting.

Permanency of ber ,to ber joints maybe effected by boring through bothwalls as shown at 2l, and driving into said bore an expansible rivet,such as dried ber, which may be out close and polished down to a surfacewith the outside of the tube I. The rivet, from which the normal absorbsmoisture from the atmosphere and expands. providing the uid-tight t. Oras a substitute for such bore as shown at 2l, that part of the boreextending through the lwall of tube I', may be counter-bored as shown at2l' in Figs. 8 and 9.

'This counter-boring is e'ected by taking the ends 1 apart, after firstboring as shown in Fig. 6. Instead ci' a ber rivet however, the partsare now to be anchored into permanent relation with each other, byrubbing into the bore, a congeniable plastic or liquid. particularly athermoplastic setting compound of the phenol condensation type, such asis known under the trade name as Bakelite. If the holes are brought tomatch perfectly. as shown in Fig. 8, or only imperfectly, as shown inFig. 9, the counter-bore 25', in either case forming an interioranchoring ange within the bore ZI as modied by the counter-bore 2l'. Theuse of material which expands on setting and which does not require sucha high degree of heat to apply 'as will burn or char the ber, insures afluid-tight connection which is an essential in connection with suctioncleaning apparatus, to which the present invention primarily relates.

Where systematic mass production is to be obtained, it should be notedthat the tube ends to be expanded, should be set into water. sumcientlydeep, in numbers, as for example a days quota, each day in advance ofthe day it is to be operated upon. Hot water, in place of cold,

the plastic wm nu into I,

will reduce to a pliable softness and expansion,-

in much less time than cold water.

The ber tube ends are softened and expanded until they can be pressedover the unexpanded ends with a hugging grip while still in a moist,moist ends are alcondition, after which the lowed to dry and contract.If the unexpanded end is smooth, a uid-tight but removable Joint isobtained. If the unexpanded end is provided with irregularities, theexpanded end contracts over the irregularities, conforming thereto indrying, and thus a relatively permanent Joint is obtained. Where arelatively fixed joint composed of two ber sections is desired, thesections may be secured together by use of rivets composed of materialwhich expands on setting and which does not require a high degree oi'heat to apply. When a relatively xed metal to ber joint is required ametal ring may be shrunk over the metal end.

While the construction and method set forth, is particularly applicableto the tubes utilizable in Air-way" cleaning systems, they areapplicable to any analogous or similar purpose, and are likewise capableof considerable variation Without departing from the scope and spirit ofthis invention.

Having now set forth the invention and its manner of operation, what Iclaim and desire to 10 secure by Letters Patent is:

In an air-method cleaning system, a. tubular conduit composed of aplurality of abutting tubular sections at least one of which is composedof fiber, the abutting sections being arranged to overlap one another attheir ends with a uid tight gripping lt, bores extending through thewalls of the overlapping portions, and non-metallic initially plasticrivets connecting said bores fluid tight.

DANIEL BENSON REPIDGLE.

